Waiters and Waitresses Salary in California
Median annual wage in California: $36,080 +2.4% vs national
California vs United States
| California | United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $36,080 | $35,230 |
| Median hourly | $17.35 | $16.94 |
| Employment | 229,970 | 2,270,910 |
| Location quotient | 0.86 | 1.00 |
Data source: BLS OES state file (California) · U.S. BLS OES, May 2024 (updated April 2025)
How to interpret these figures
With approximately 229,970 waiters and waitresses employed in California, this is a major occupation in the labor market.
At $17.35 per hour, a full-time schedule (2,080 hours per year) works out to roughly $36,088 — in line with the reported median annual wage of $36,080.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average waiters and waitresses salary in California?
The median annual wage in California is $36,080 ($17.35 per hour), per BLS OES May 2024 data.
How does California compare to the national average for waiters and waitresses?
The California median of $36,080 is 2.4% higher than the U.S. median of $35,230.
How many waiters and waitresses work in California?
Approximately 229,970 are employed in California, per BLS OES.